Its really hard to tell with the pictures, but to me it looks like the brown inthe colonial doesn't quite match. I think they are just ok, I would keep looking but it is good to know you have that backup! the yellow river also looks like it is a forced match, but again pictures arent like the real thing.

I like the colonial cream as I'm not much for the busy pattern. Also the contrast is bigger to the cabinets which I like. I think the colors go together and some match and others don't which I think is a must or it would look too boring.

I like your option #1........very nice yet not too much : ) With a counter such as that it may be easier to decide on a backsplash too and it won't limit you to a matching/accent color for the kitchen. It would leave a lot of options open. But if you are looking for more movement and color variation you may want to keep looking.
I guess it depends on how much you want, but I like it. In the close up I think there are definate matching colors, from my monitor.
I think your granite would go great with my cabinets LOL! But if you aren't 100% happy keep looking and then look back at these originals again. That may help you decide when you find 'the one'.
HTH

I like option 2... it might look like a little much in the pictures but its not like you will have the whole slab in one peice. You will have strips of it. BUT its hard for me to get a feel for how dark it is becuase the picture is in bright sunlight - how well lit is your kitchen?

Yummm,

I loved #1, and it certainly fits the description of what you are looking for- caramel ripple ice cream! But then I saw #2, and I really like that, (very similar to the Jaguar Gold I think I want).

So, if you don't have a strong preference for one, are you comfortable letting price be a deciding factor? Or do you want to keep looking?

Neither #1 or #2 would be a mistake...so aren't you in an enviable position?

I hate to make this harder on you but I like the second Yellow River Option #3. Several reasons... I love blue, so I'm biased. Colonial Dream is beautiful but to my eye, not as distinquishable. The first Yellow River appears to have alot more gray. It could be the lighting. That brings me to the Option #3. I think it's beautiful. I fell in love with yellow river on this forum. Someone recently posted a pic of their slab and it's stunning. You could pick up a light slate blue in your backsplash which wouldn't compete and would look awesome with stainless appliances. Sorry to add to the confusion!

My vote is for option #2. It has beautiful flow to it.

They're not doing anything for me. I'd keep shopping, but worst case, number 2 (one is boring, three is too gold for the cabinets).

This is easy for me to say since I've spent the last four days hunting down granite...and I know how easy this is :oP (still looking here! )

ok first of all they are all gorgeous and you can't go wrong, but if it was my kitchen I would love #1. And having to only buy one slab is the cherry on your vanilla sundae!

I was advised that granites with significant movement need long runs to highlight the uniqueness of the stone. If your runs are not long you might want to consider a stone with less movement than Yellow River - although it is beautiful. If your runs are good for a stone with movement my pick would be Yellow River v. 1. I think the colors in the stone are beautiful with your cabinet door color.

jb

Definitely #1, Colonial Dream.

Agreeing with other posters' comments, I think YR is too busy for a small kitchen w/ short counter runs & no island and too yellow for the cabs.

I LOVE the color of #3. The others are okay, but not WOW.

I'm all about WOW....LOL

Well, I am biased. I have Yellow River. I would check all of the slabs of Yellow River and go with the one that has the most blue it in. Your cabs have a bluish tint in the cherry. The rust color in the stone is opposite the color wheel of the blue and would make the stone stand out. I think the first slab had more of the blue in it. Again, each slab is different so look at all of them before you make a decision.

Glad has a very small kitchen with Yellow River (one counter with a sink in it) and it is stunning. She did a great job. I know she has pictures of it on here so you can see how it looks on a short run. Her's has more of the gold tones in it rather than the blue tones.

Are you going to do the back splash in granite or tile? I am having them book my granite so the granite flows down from the backsplash onto the counter. Should be really pretty when it is done. This might be an option for you as well. I wanted the drama of it in my small kitchen. So I went with the granite back splash. I wanted the stone to stand out. The stone is going to be the focal point in my kitchen.

Good luck choosing. It is hard. Look at all the slabs of Yellow River. It really can very.

ok now this is getting too twilight zoney. Aussie you and I have been going round and round (though I am sure I have been at it longer, sadly) with granite. Now you are looking at the same ones I looked at yesterday (and the day before, and two days before that). I saw really nice Colonial Dream too, and really like it except that I would prefer just a little more something color wise.
And now I am wondering if Yellow River is the same as Golden River? I have seen Golden River and it is similar to the stones you are showing- more intense, and the Yellow River I see here in NJ is more subdued. I keep wavering about the Golden River because it is so pretty but I am not sure if it should "live in my house". Anyways,, just thought I would let you know that I too have made no progress.
Can we start a granite support group?

LOL we should definitely start a granite support group :) I also really wish there was a National Granite Database. In my perfect fantasy world, this database would have pictures of all the slabs of granite currently in the US, their locations and dimensions. You would be able to do a search for slabs by color or by name (oh and by the way it would automatically include all the slabs that go by different names) and put in your zip code to find slabs within a radius. I know you really have to see them in person, but it would sure be a start to help figure out what there is out there and where it is, without having to drive around for hours. Anyway, back to the real world ...

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH for your opinions and advice!! I really appreciate it!

As of today I will say that I am leaning towards the Colonial Dream ... but I reserve the right to change my mind again tomorrow :p The main reason is that I think saskatchewan_girl was right about that it would leave more options open for the backsplash (we are planning to do some kind of tile) and also for the floor. We really want wood floors and are having a hard enough time picking a floor that will go nicely with our cabinets. I'm a little worried that with the Yellow River our floor options will be more limited and even more difficult.

I know that the Colonial Dream is not really WOW and might even be boring. But I'm hopeful that maybe it will look quietly sophisticated??? (or am I stretching? :o) ...)

I think that the reason I'm struggling here is that as a slab I think the Yellow River is definitely more beautiful and interesting than the Colonial Dream. I'm just not sure that it will translate to a more beautiful counter in my little island-less kitchen with its tiny runs, and so just like sheilaaus122, I'm not sure if it should "live in my house".

mustbenuts, I looked at your slab of Yellow River (which is absolutely stunning by the way and actually much nicer than any I have seen around here) and also at glad's kitchen. I think it looks beautiful in glad's kitchen and also with mustbenuts' door, but then you both have white cabinets, so I wonder if YR would look as good with my dark cabs? I'm worried it would perhaps look a little muddy and maybe the overall effect would be too dark. It's hard to tell how much light there will be in my new kitchen as the current kitchen has such poor lighting. We have a fairly big north-facing window, and will be increasing the size of the pass-through in the south side and adding much more lighting - recessed, undercabinet and pendant. Still, our current kitchen is all creamish so I know the dark cabinets and wood floors will make it feel a lot darker.

I was hoping to find a granite with a streak of chocolate brown the same color as the cabinets, but we haven't been able to find any like that. Maybe we should keep looking, but then I'm also nervous that if we let the CD go, then don't find anything better and return to find the CD sold out. (A couple of weeks ago there were 8 slabs, now there are only 3 left, one of which is not as nice. Haven't seen it anywhere else.) I'm not as worried about missing out the YR, as there seems to be more of it available.

mlraff53, thanks for putting the cherry on my vanilla sundae :) - potentially being able to fit it all on one slab definitely is a big upside to the CD.

Thanks again for all your comments! Any other comments are still very welcome as I am not yet committed ...

Wow! My husband and I can relate with you. We just selected (in March) our yellow river granite-within a completely different pattern to yours. and now we are paying for it. The stone is extremely fragile. We selected it to go with a copper sink and oil rubbed bronze faucet. The entire kitchen was planned to cut 1 of 4 ways out of three slabs. Now, the entire kitchen has been cut except for the sink part-which has broken into three sections. However because of the pattern, grain and particulate pattern i am not satisfied with the results. That countertop sink area is a longer run at 84" with the grain running short and stubby into the wall/backsplash area that will cause the area to seem short. Tomorrow they will try to cut the last remaining slab, and if it doesn't work because of the structure of the stone then we will have to do a two-tone concept and select another slab which may compliment the colors offered within the yellow river. As the homeowner, ask the company their success rate with that stone and others, ask them how many stones break each month and ask them if you own and retain the rights to the templates. That way 4 years from now if you decide you don't like it, you can go back and bring the actual cut templates and save the money for the re-measurement and re-template costs.

my opinion, i love the colonial dream with the color of the cabinets

Here is a link that might be useful: ferguson kitchen blog

While I agree that the Yellow River is gorgeous, I think that the Colonial Dream will go better with your cabinets and I do think it will look "quietly sophisticated." Good luck with making your decision.